


Reruns

by TFALokiwriter



Category: Lost in Space (TV 1965)
Genre: Episode: s03e18 The Time Merchant, Gen, Time Loop Trap, this is probably canon, while Smith was waiting to be retrieved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 20:54:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21214931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: While the professor fought for Smith, Smith was living a eternity.





	Reruns

_"Smith, the immortal!"_

Smith the immortal didn't have the same catchy ring to it as it used to. Then again, it had been years since he had made the comment with a full heart of desire to live forever unchanged by the ravages of time. And he was a immortal for a entirely different reason under a different set of circumstances. Living out the same three years for a eternity. He had a desire to make sure that the people that he liked _lived_. A desire that costed him any kind of future. Time itself was the cost. He was encased in a Time Loop Trap. He had figured it out on his own after the dozen times the three years had been lived through.

If he made any unexpected changes, any at all, however small to avoid his future with them, the Robinsons were sure to die. Priplanus was familiar to him as the ground from the continent to the sky making new treks around the area to spice things up for himself and that resulted in many of the prior loops the death of the Robinsons. And the slow but painful demise of a hopeful fire fading day by day in his friend's heart until all that was left was a shell of a friend that he once knew.

The discussion with Robot around the matter reinforced his view in the initial time loop. A view that had been slammed into recognition until he accepted the reality of it. He was familiar to the idea of being lost that it was hard to summon a memory of Earth fill of greenery and the acceptable reality of being surrounded by people in modern clothes that were not of a era that summoned old tales into existence. He looked out toward the night sky from the bridge of the Jupiter 2 sitting in the recently installed chair of the ship as the cold settled into the ship. He looked on toward the silent mechanical shell waiting beside him. A shell of a friend that he had once known dearly. Now all Robot was a generic environmental robot lacking a personality.

Despite the cons of never growing old, never getting to watch the Robinsons get old, never getting to experience something _new_ with the family, he understood the professor's reasoning regarding leaving him behind. The space destructors were one step behind that line that he had crossed and time was another. Yet, Smith couldn't help but hope the professor, Will, and Robot were being delayed by Chronos in rescuing him. He understood the professor's reasoning as a Colonel of the United States Air Force. He understood as a Doctor in the United States Space Corps. He understood as a human focused on survival. He understood that he had crossed a line that he couldn't walk back from in allowing Chronos to take the child. The trap itself was well crafted but decorated enough that being surrounded by familiar faces eased the loneliness, the sadness, and the dread of having to start at the beginning of their relationship.

He couldn't say anything new or tell why he had been there. He had tried to explain a couple times and been thrown out by the major who tried to send him careening out into space when Robot proceeded to attack. The Robot's rampage had sent Smith out of the air lock while the major went toward the hyper drive. All the chances in those loops of having established himself as a member of their residence were metaphorically thrown out the airlock after Smith finally reprogrammed Robot to be on their side.

Time wasn't patient when Smith tried to sabotage how the normal flow of events were to go and lashed out accordingly. He spent the rest of the next three years stuck in the vessel of bubble creatures while the Jupiter 2 flew out until the caretaker of the ship, a human, acquired a vessel and sent him on his way in those time loops. Will's invention was ready and waiting to be used. It had been turbulent trying to establish a friendship with the child, and he hadn't exactly had it easy with the men and Robot chasing him away. The Robinsons weren't as kind, hospital, or nice to him. They were hostile.

He wasn't sure regarding them knowing the truth as they never retrieved him in the beginning of the new loops. It was these loops that decided the rest of eternity. A eternity that was eventful and easy to perform just waiting for any version of the Robinsons to rescue him. Any who dared to go against their better judgement. It turned into a play, he was the actor and the director, orchestrating the event to play out the same way that they had. And the audience itself was time. And the curtains fell when the play had to end. As all things had to.

In some loops, he waited to drop the information regarding his presence being needed aboard the ship until _after_ they landed on Priplanus and stayed to it but left out the real reason regarding why he stepped foot on the ship before the time loop became established. The professor was certain of there being a way to escape the loop for him then made sure Will wouldn't perform his experiment by making him promise. A promise that for some time the doctor believed would be capable of breaking free of it and getting to experience new.

The word 'new' became novelty to him, fresh, the mere thought of a day being new to him was refreshing, and brought out his optimism. It was the happiest that he had been in ages. Until Will had to make the invention regardless of the promise in a different month, day, hour, and year. Including for a entirely different reason. The simple act broke his heart in more ways Smith thought wasn't possible. It was the sting of betrayal of a dear friend that made Smith need to sit down and have a silent but private moment to himself far from the Jupiter 2 upon realizing that his fate couldn't be avoided. _It wasn't fair_, he viewed it initially. With all he had done to make sure they survived. _But, it was fair._

He rubbed his shoulders with a brrr. One of his many cups was on the console quite empty in his attempt to remain warm. He looked on toward the robot. The silent protector looking on toward the window of the Jupiter covered in layers of frost. One thought winded down on Smith. One of these versions, any of the versions, were going to reach Alpha Centauri. They were going to get old and remember him. The prime ones, the main ones, the ones that he had sacrificed a new day for had grieved, heart broken, resuming their long voyage for Alpha Centauri. The professor and the madame were grandparents by this point in part because of the remarkable blue eyed Judy and the easy to temper major. They would remember him with pity and fondness.

Reruns were painful regarding what he had to do and say to them repeatedly.

Words that he didn't truly mean but he had to say it in a way that meant he meant it.

No matter how badly he wished to be freed of this trap making sure the Robinsons got closer than they were to 'home' was on his top priority.

The frost vanished before his eyes on the window then he smiled watching the sun begin to rise as a familiar shape was coming.

"Come!" Smith slid out of his sleeping bag then rolled it up and made his way to the doorway of the ship. "The Robinsons require a welcoming comity."

Robot twirled toward Smith.

"This does not compute," Robot said. "We are a party of two."

"It is the thought that counts," Smith said. "Shows that we are willing to hand out a olive branch not just in the way that _I_ handed out information to them."

"We," Robot corrected.

Smith fought back a smile and fondness at the smallest bit of his old friend coming to.

"Bah hum bug!" Smith pressed on the side panel then the door opened and so did the air lock door. "Wait outside."

"Affirmative," Robot said. Robot paused then turned toward Smith. "State your intentions."

"I have none," Smith said. "My intentions are to get dressed into a more appropriate uniform. As I told you before, we have no need to eliminate the Robinsons in _no_ uncertain words." He looked off tapping on his chin. "I faintly recall that the madame informed me that my civilian uniform was left in my quarters. . ."

Smith walked off taking the other way that was not the elevator to the residential deck. He returned to his quarters then found the uniform on the cot ready to be thrown on at a moments notice covered by a dark blue film wrapping. He slowly closed the door behind him looking down at the uniform set below him. He began to peel his Earthly uniform off tossing it to a clump to the side, tore off the wrapping, then put on his uniform.

Colonel Smith, the dangerous character, the real version of himself was tossed aside for the more innocent and more survival friendly mask, Doctor Smith, but generally testing the patience of everyone around him was put on. The purple-blue shirt stood out against the black pants even as the red v-neck and baby blue dickie. After zipping up the uniform and clicking it in, Smith smoothed it out feeling quite warm under the garments then knelt down and zipped his new boots on. He folded his uniform then put it inside the closet. He returned to the upper deck with his door closed then arrived to Robot's side with his hands clasped together.

"Are you ready for the rest of this begotten time on this planet with these morons?" Smith asked.

"I was designed and prepared for this mission," Robot replied, simply.

"Built to be used for a month," Smith shook his head with a roll of his eyes. "Losing your memory every month."

"That is my purpose." Robot's helm lowered with a chunk.

Smith looked on with a momentary small smile, _No, it isn't. It isn't my dear old friend._ Memories of the original Robot and the other versions of him flashed before his mind in a monotone strip of film. Y_ou are capable of doing and being so much as a individual._ Shaking his head then turned his attention back on toward the chariot that drew closer replacing the small moment of warmth with a unhappy demeanor. He waited for the Chariot to come to a halt beside Robot prepared for the very certain, planned, experienced, and foreseen future.

**The End. **


End file.
